1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a container capping device.
2. Brief Discussion of the Related Art
It is known that for capping containers at a high rate, whether the containers are capped by thermo-sealed capsules or the containers are capped by screwed caps, it is desirable to provide facilities including a series of capping devices operated in sequence.
More particularly, it is known from document EP-A-1 834 923 to provide a carrousel including a rotating platform on which the capping devices are mounted, so that a capping process is carried out between an inlet device feeding the containers to be capped, and an outlet device carrying away the capped containers, with the capping member being taken in the dead angle between the outlet device and the inlet device, when referring to the rotation direction of the platform.
In the device of the above-mentioned document, each capping device includes a capping head carried out by a support member having the shape of a bracket and including a vertical part going through a cover and connected to a handling member positioned under the cover. The capping head is removably mounted along a vertical movement between a high position and a low position and at right angles with a container support. A complete capping cycle includes the raising of the capping head just prior to the coming out of a container, so as not to interfere with the coming out of the container, the lowering of the capping head in order to take off a cap or possibly a capsule, the raising of the capping head not to interfere with the coming out of the containers and a lowering of the capping head during the step of the fixing of the cap or the capsule on the container.
In order to carry out all these motions, the means for implementing the capping heads, i.e. the means for driving the capping head and the means for controlling the motions of the capping heads, are usually positioned above the capping heads.
Because of the position of these mechanisms, the motions on the various parts entail a pollution which may enter the containers, which is not compatible with the aim of a maximum sterility in the case of an aseptic packaging of the product. In addition, when the facilities are provided with a sterile air flow device giving a laminar flow to keep the volume surrounding the containers sterile, in the present position thereof, the means for implementing the capping heads are obstacles to the flow of sterile air and thus are liable to break the sterile barrier which is wanted around the containers.